Fathers Day
by CheekyBrunette
Summary: Carlos, Kendall, and James are up to something, and it's driving Logan crazy.  Sweet enough to rot your teeth! **For MusicLovesBest**


**Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey BUDDY! (Ignore me...) **

**Um, so have you all ever heard of Mikkal? Yeah, I'm serious, go read everything she's ever written right now, I can't tell you enough.**

**This one is for MusicLovesBest (then one more and I'm DONE!)**

Logan was starting to get a little freaked out. Every time he turned around, it seemed like one of his friends was looking at him weird. Their eyes glimmered at him with pity and excitement, which was a weird combination, and it was killing Logan. He knew they were planning something, that they knew something, he just didn't know what. It was never a good to not know what his friends were planning, especially when you seemed to be the center of it. By only eleven in the morning, Logan was too paranoid to stay by the pool any longer. He started for the lobby and was alarmed when James, Carlos, and Kendall all went after him.

"Logan, were are you going?" James asked, trying, and failing, to only seem curious. Logan, however, could detect the nervousness in his voice. In fact, all three of his friends looked pretty antsy, which only made him more worried. He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest in an attempt to look intimidating.

"To 2J, why? Is there something you're not _telling me_?" he asked, ribbing them hard. Kendall just eyed him, James bit his lip, and Carlos threw two hands over his mouth as if he was on the verge of spilling something important. He always was the weakest link when it came to secrets and surprises. The Latino bounced on the balls of his feet like whatever he was hiding was about to burst out. Still, he held his tongue, and Logan got the sense that whatever they weren't saying was big. "Carlos?" he asked, knowing it wasn't really fair to hone in on him like this, but at this point, he noticed that even the other Palm Woods residents were staring at him weird. "Do you have anything?" Carlos squirmed.

"No!" he yelped, and for a second, Logan thought he'd lost, but then Carlos continued. "I just think you should stay down here for when he comes!" he blurted and immediately threw his hands up to cover his mouth again. Kendall gave him a little shove and went to wrap an arm around Logan, leading him away as James whisper-yelled at Carlos for almost blowing their plan. The Latino looked up at him guiltily, and Logan realized Kendall was saying something to him. He met his green eyes.

"What he means to say is," Kendall said smoothly, an excellent liar, but it was a little late for that, "Freight Train is gonna come pick us up to rehearse soon, so why bother going upstairs? Just waist time down here with us!" Logan squinted up at him, and grabbed his hand, taking his arm off his shoulder.

"Yeah, um, no," he answered, pushing. He knew if he just kept denying him, the truth would come out eventually. Years of being friends had learned him well, preparing him to find out what was going on. One of his best tactics was to avoid doing whatever Kendall wanted. Logan normally followed him blindly, so he never counted on him to say no. It generally threw such a twist in his plans, that he couldn't continue without spilling everything. Logan smiled when Kendall reached out for his wrist as he started walking away, wavering on his decision to tell him or not. He couldn't help but smirk, figuring he won.

"Just stay down here, okay?" he asked, sounding a little desperate. Logan was a bit blown away. That _always_ worked, so why didn't it this time? He started to get the sense that whatever the guys were keeping from him was something really, _really_ important. After getting over how stunned he was, Logan went back to narrowing what their secret was. The problem was, he couldn't think of anything _that_ big for them to be so desperate to cover it up. His heart panged. They were best friends, why wouldn't they tell him? His eyebrows creased, and he looked at Kendall seriously.

"Why won't you tell me?" he asked. Kendall looked nervous, something Logan wasn't used to seeing, and turned away. Logan was starting to get worried.

"You're gonna love it, Logan, just... wait. Only a couple minutes," he said, looking at the door impatiently. His face lit up, and Logan followed his gaze to the front of the Palm Woods, watching as a man in camouflage walked through the door, the only one there. The importance of him coming was lost on Logan for a moment. He didn't get why his friends all looked so excited. Carlos was still by the pool, pointing and jumping excitedly as James tried to control him, a smile breaking on his face, too. The man got closer, and Logan got a better look at his features.

"Dad?" he squeaked, voice cracking. He looked back and forth from his friends, to the soldier, uncertain and wanting more than anything not to be let down. The man put down his bags and held his arms out, and Logan was sure. He didn't know how it happened, but suddenly he was in his father's arms, getting possibly the best hug of his life. "Dad!" he exclaimed happily, ignoring the tears rushing to his eyes. Now wasn't a time for crying.

"I missed you, 'tence," he said in that loving, caring voice that all fathers, even if they're across seas for years at a time, should have. Logan laughed tensely, his body quivering for more reasons then one. He ran his hand through his short dark hair as he pulled away, scratching the back of his neck.

"It's Logan now, actually..." he trailed off awkwardly, same as always. His eyes flickered up to meet his dad's, shining in excitement and also a little sadness. "I missed you, too, Dad. Letters and stuff aren't really the same..." he stopped talking for fear of his voice breaking. Every time his dad came home, Logan remembered how bad it hurt to have such a long distance relationship with someone who was supposed to be so close to you. Mr. Garcia was always there when he needed a dad up close and personal, but... it wasn't the same. Logan flinched when he felt an arm wrapping around his wait, looking up to see James holding onto him. He knew how hard it could be, his parents being divorced. He always had his back.

"Hey Mr. Mitchell!" he greeted, shaking hands with his free one. "I didn't get to ask over the phone, but how long are you staying?" he asked, curious and hoping for the longest. The man's face fell slightly, and he winced guiltily. Logan looked to the ground, immediately knowing their chances on really bonding were slim.

"Just for a couple hours, actually," he said, watching as his son's face went crest-fallen. "I have to catch a flight out fast to manage a shipment of supplies, but we can make every second count, right?" he asked, Logan frowning, but willing to try anything. Kendall clapped him on the back, being the expert on all fast "dates" after being with Jo.

"Oh, yes," he answered for him. "Yes, we can."

* * *

><p>The day was awesome, filled with a round of bowling, lots of laughs, a trip to the studio to show where everything went down, a picnic for seven (Katie and Mrs. Knight wanted in, too), and a whole hour in 2J, just the two of them. All too soon, it was time for Mr. Mitchell to get on a plane again, and the boys followed him to the airport. Everything was normal through baggage and security, but as soon as they got to the terminal, goodbyes had to start. Mr. Mitchell gave James, Carlos, and Kendall a hug, fist pump, and, for Carlos, a rub on the helmet. It was Logan's turn.<p>

"So you're good?" he asked, just like always. Mr. Mitchell was constantly worried that one of these days, Logan would get fed up with him not being around anymore and hate him. He was like his son in that way. There was a lot to read into with those three, measly words. Logan, also just like always, shook his head.

"I'm good." He understood that serving their country was important and there wasn't anything he could do about it. He took after his dad that way. Mr. Mitchell smiled.

"Good." He turned toward the other guys and arched an eyebrow, mostly at James and Kendall. "How about you three?" he asked, knowing how hard it was for them, too, to be without dads. It wasn't uncommon for him to feel bad about being overseas for them, too. Mr. Garcia was the only real adult they could look up to in a father sense, and that must be difficult. Meanwhile, Kendall seemed to be keeping everyone together pretty well in LA, seeing from the way he took care of things in just the few, short hours he had been there. His son and his friends really seemed to look up to him. Mr. Mitchell could respect that. They nodded. He turned back to Logan.

"I'm thinking about you, okay? Every second of the day, even when I'm speeding through a two minute shower," he said with a smile, bending down and holding Logan's waist just like he did when he was little. Sometimes Mr. Mitchell treated him like he was younger then he really was. It was hard not to when he was so unfortunately out of practice of being a dad. Logan just smiled.

"You too, dad," he answered, falling into a tight hug. It felt like forever, but it must have only been seconds when they heard the boarding call. They said their final goodbyes, and Logan watched as his dad walked through the gate, adjusting his hat and looking over his shoulder at him. He waved weakly, and stayed standing there watching for two hours as the plane slowly took off, pretending he could just see his dad waving back at him. Logan couldn't help but jump when he once again felt an arm snaking around him. He looked at Carlos, who was pulling him into a hug.

"You can steal my daddy any time you want," he said into Logan's neck, and Logan let out a little laugh in the bittersweet moment. His face fell quickly, and he pulled Carlos in closer, the Latino able to feel his quick beating heart through his shirt. He was barely aware of Kendall and James breaking them up, leading them away. Logan looked over through the rushing people at Carlos, Kendall talking reassuringly in his air, tears staining his cheeks. Guilt wormed through his heart, and he made it back to 2J in a daze.

"Movie?" James asked questioningly. It was only 7:00pm. It was weird to think of doing anything after all that had happened but go to bed, but Logan agreed, picking Pursuit of Happiness, which was probably the worst thing he could have chosen, but it matched his mood perfectly. He made it a decent way through the movie, but emotions started to mount. Something about a father trying so hard for his son... Logan couldn't even contemplate stifling a sob.

"I miss him!" he croaked after a while, finally feeling the comforting hands rubbing. his back, leg, and shoulder. His friends nodded in understanding, the movie long over, and the apartment lit only by the blaring, blue TV screen, "DVD" bouncing from edge to edge. He sniffed, finding it somewhere within himself to stop crying.

"It's okay, Loges," Kendall said, jumping over the back of the couch from his spot behind him, and squeezing in between him and Carlos. "I miss mine, too."

"And me!" came James and Carlos' responses.

"Just know that he loves you, wherever he is," Kendall said, speaking from experience and more knowledge on the subject then any kid deserved. Logan pulled himself together even more, remembering that Kendall didn't even get a _chance_ to see his dad, considering he was buried six feet under, losing his life to save Mr. Mitchell's on the battlefield. Life wasn't even fair. He nodded meekly in understanding because he actually _did_ have that. Logan's dad loved him wherever he was, even if it was in another country. The clocked ticked twelve.

"Happy Fathers Day, guys."

**Okay, if you tell me you DIDN'T cry during Pursuit of Happiness, you're a filthy liar. I was a wreck.**

**Happy Fathers Day, guys. I celebrated mine the other day (went to a Phillies game, just me an him. It was so fun!) but after writing this I feel all emotional, like I need to go spend a couple more hours with him. (I LOVE MY DAD guys. He's so funny, and like... he's a great dad.)**


End file.
